Toy parachute.



x To all whomfit mary concer-n:

MAURICE E. WRIGHT,

a citizen of the UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Be it known that I,

United States, San Diego, in the county of San Diego and State of California, have. invented a Iiew and useful Toy Parachute, of which the following is a specication. i

y invention relates to a toy parachute, and is designed ,as an improvement on the toy parachute shown and described in residing at United vStates Patent No. 974,733, issued to y R me on the I1st. day ^of overnber, 1910.

fect 1n accordance with i tended. Fig..2 is -a.

the Winding wheel he purposes of theinvention are the' pro' vision of a device having new rangement of hurled in the air when collapsed, and so constructed as to opemwithin a predetermined time, means being employed whereby the operator may gage with accuracy and precision the opening or distending of the sail, so that the parachute will descend'slowly after reaching the limit of its upward flight. In prior constructions the atmospheric resista-nce at the beginningof the descent of the parachute, has been utilized to open the sail, the distention being moreor less imperthe inclination of the axis from the vertical position, and the parachute frequently falling a considerable distance before being aiiected by the air. To'obviate these and other defects I provide a device having a sailI and spring wiresupporting lilaments therefor,- which`are connected by flexible cords, normally engaging with a triggercatch Within thebasket, the parachute being normally heldclosed'by the action of said trigger-catch, and adapted to be distended upon the release of the trigger by a spring-operated revolving mechanism within the basket. I further provide a device which, when folded, assumesithe form of a ball, thus vmaki sectional view with A the sail portion disdetail view of the cenadapted to engage with the Fig. 3 is a/detail viewL of the Fig. 4 is afdetail view of having ears on the hub tral member trigger catch. escapement' lever.

iInURIcE E. WRIGHT, or SAN nIEGo, CALIFORNIA.

' ToY PARACIIUTE.

SpecicationpfLetters Patent. .Application led- April 5, 1911.

to a central member Figure l'isla vertical i 1mg lantem wheel 27 p Serial No. 619,082.

g marks. Fig. 7 lis a bottom plan view of the basket. F1g.'8 is a top plan view of the interior of the basket. Fig. 9 is a sectional detail view of the basket. and trigger mechanism on a plane taken on the line A`B. Fig. 10 isa partially sectional view of the parachute folded. eferring more particularly to the drawings 1n whichv like characters denote similar parts 4of the device, basket lis provided with 'spring filaments 2, against the interior of the basket, the spread of filaments 2 being limited by flexible cords 5, connecting with member 6. Filaments 2 are arranged in pairs, each pair beingconnected at the sail supporting end, thereby securing greater durability. Basket 1, preferably made of light sheet metal, has per-A fcrations 7, to reduce weight, and bridge 8 transversely arranged inside to support the releasing mechanism. Tube 9 extends from the bridge to` the bottom of the basket, and is pierced for trigger 10, which normallyl extends within the tube and is adapted to engage with groove 11 in member 6. Trigger 10 is a semicircular spring having end 12 secured to the basket. A flexible cord 13 eX- the center of the sail portion, through hole 14, in member 6, and throughk be 9, and has a retaining button 15, which may be grasped by the fingers in closing the device preparatory to hurling in theair.'

releasing mechanism for trigger ,10 is provided, havin hub whereby gers, wheel 16 being revolubly mounted 17 and ears.` 18, on the hub, the same. may bev in depression 19, and are thereby protecte from in'ury. Spiral to hub 1 'and basket. Spur-wheel to Wheel 16, -has cam v011 tube 9, vadjacent b 24 for releasing the trigger, and

is provided with pawl 25'0n the underside, spring 26, being secured to Ithe spur-wheel and holding the pawl in engagement with 'wheel."16, whereby the spurswheel may be actuated by spring 20,- a control for the .speed `of rotationv eing prdvided lcomprisoperated by the 22, revolubly mounted- Patented June 6, 1911.

. cured thereto and inner ends 4, vbearing asf comprlsingnal ratchet wheel 16 to pin 21, in the bottom of the l.

and escapement wheel 28, mounted on shaft 29, the lantern wheel wall ing marks used in timing the opening of the device.

. The 'method of operation is as follows: The releasing mechanism is wound by turning wheel 16 one or more turns while pressing thev extension which controls the vibrating pallet. The pallet is then released until the word High is exposed under aperture 33. Or should it be desired tov throw the parachute to a comparatively low height, the mechanism may be allowed to further unwind until the desired indicating mark is exposed. The mechanism is then held from further unwinding while the button on cord 13l is drawn out until member 6 is engaged by the trigger. The device willF then have the a pearance of a ball, the sail fabric being olded inside of the supporting 'laments, having been drawn in by the cord which also operates to close the device. The parachute being closed is then thrown in' the air. During its travel through the air the trigger releasing mechanism is unwinding an spur-wheel is revolved until the cam on the hub thereof engages throws it out of engagement with member. 6, thereby releasing the same and permit-l ting the parachute to open under the tension of the s ring supporting filaments. The weight of t e basket and the mechanism contained therein maintains the saiLportion uppermost, allowing the same to become iniiated and causing a slow descent of the par-l achute.

A The advantages of this arrangement are'obvious as the opening ofthe device may be timed with accuracy and precision and is pos'tive in action. The releasing mechanism isincased by the basket andis therefore prot ted from injury and there are no exposed vwhich may be liable to injury or to the hands of the .operator...

From the foregoing description it will be .Parts 111 ure seen that simple and eiicient means are herein provided forl accompllshing the objects of the invention,- shown and described are well adapted to serve the purposes for which they are intended it 1s to vention is not limited to the precise con struction as set its purview such the scope of the changes as may changes as may fall within appended claims and such be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a toy parachute, a sail portion,

the trigger andy of said locking means, and

spring supporting filaments carrying the sail portion, a basket carrying the supporting filaments, means for folding and locking the supporting filaments in a closedposition, mechanism for releasing said means, and means for timing the releasen mechanism to open the sail portion, substantially as set forth. r

2. In a -toy parachute, a sail portion, spring supporting filaments carrying the sail aportion, arranged in pairs, each pair being connected at the sail supporting end, a central member adapted t'o engage withv the trigger catch, flexible cords connecting the central. member and the sailsupporting en of the spring filaments, a trigger adapted to engage with the central member, and means for releasing said trigger within a predetermined time, substantially as set forth.

3. In a toy parachute, a sail portion, spring fila-ments supporting the sail portion, a basket carrying the spring filaments, means within the basket for locking the sail portion in a collapsed position, and mechanism for'releasing the locking mechanism within a predetermined time, the basket and its cont-ained mechanism being heavier than lthexsail portion, substantially as set forth.

4. In a toy parachute, a sail portion, spring filaments adapted to hold the sail locking the sa'l portion in an inoperative position,- mechanism 'for releasingf said means, and a basket containing the locking mechanism and releasing means thereby protecting the same from injury, substantially as set forth. Y

means -for locking .the sail in a collapsed condition, and aspring-operated mechanism adapted tothe positive and accurate release the positive distention of the sail portion, substantially as set forth. y

6. In a toy parachute, a sail portion, spring filaments supporting the sail portion, a basket carrying the spring filaments on its upper edge, and having the lower ends of the spring filaments beatp against the interior of the basket, a cen member adapted to engage with a trigger catch, flexible but, while the elements be understood that Vthe in forth` but includes .within cords connecting the central member and the spring filaments, the sail portion in a collapsed position, comprising a bridge within the basket, a central tube extending from tom-of the basket, a spring trigger catch having one end secured basket and the other end entering the central tube, and a flexible cord connected to the center of" said l ing through the central member and the central tube, being adapted to draw the spring filaments into. a closed position, and simultaneously draw the abrio within the portion in a distended position, means for the bridge to the boty sail portion and extend-.

'5. In .a toy parachute, a sail portion,

and means for locking to the wall of the g spring -laments and 'the central member catch, substantially as' shown.

1nto engagement with,4 the spring trigger 7. In` a. toy parachute, a vsail portion, spring filaments supporting the sail portion, a basket carrying the spring iilaments, means forlocking the sail portion in a closed position, .and means for releasing said lock comprising a lspur-wheel revolving means, ing about a dissident axis, a hub on the spurwheel, a cam on thehub adapted to vengage with and tri the locking means during one revolution o the spur-wheel, a ratchet wheel revolubly mounted on the same axis as the wheel torotate in unison,

spur-wheel and .adjacent thereto, a, hub on the ratchet wheel, -ears 0n the hub of the ratchet wheel whereby the same may be manually operated, a spiral spring connected to the hubof thev ratchet wheel, a pin'in lthe wall of the basket to which the opposite end of the spiral spring is attached, a pawl on the spur-wheel engaging 4with the ratchet Wheel, and arspring on the spur-wheel holding the pawl in an operative position, subtantially as 'set forth. i

S. In a toy parachute, Aa sail portion, spring filaments supporting the sai-1 portion, a basket carrying the spring filaments, means for locking the sail portion and its supporting filaments in a closed position, means for releasing tlhesaid locking means, comprising a spur-Wheel and a. ratchetwheel ladjacent thereto, revolubly mounted ondissident axes, the wheels being adapted y to rotate independently of each other, means for causing the spur-wheel Vand ratchet a spring actuating the ratchet wheel, means for-manually oper- 'y lng means inv an' operable position, and meansv for timing the release of. the ,locking means with accuracy and precision, comprising an escapement wheel, a pallet arranged in Vibrating contact with lthe escapement wheel, an extension integral with the n allet and extending through the wall o the basket, a shaft for the escapement wheel, a lantern wheelon the shaft in engagement with the spur-wheel, and indicating marks on' the spur-wheel arranged to b e successively exposed beneath an aperture in the wall of the basket, whereby the spur-wheel maybe rotated, to the' desired position for releasing the locking means wit-hin the prede# termined time, before locking the device in a closed' position preparatory to hurling in the air, substantially as set forth.

9.- A toy parachute, comprisinga sail portion, means for supporting the sail portion in a distended position, -means for locking the sail portion :in af closed position, means for releasing thepsaid locking means, means* for placing the said releasing means in au operable position, an escapement wheel -arv.ranged to limit the speed and determine the ating the ratchet wheel to place thereleas- I timer of release, and indicating marks ar` ranged on the releasing means, v release may. be setfor a. predetermined time,

lsubstantially as set forth.

In testimonyl hereof, I aliix my signature, in presence of two witnesses. y MAURICE EJWRIGHT. vWitnesses: 1 j

J. W. MASTER, 1N. S. PAUN.

whereby the 

